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A lot of comments here seem to not know: 1. If you don't have your YouTube activity history enabled, the algorithm doesn't remember what you've watched and you

A lot of comments here seem to not know: 1. If you don't have your YouTube activity history enabled, the algorithm doesn't remember what you've watched and you'll probably get clickbaity/junky recommendations. 2. If you have set your history to expire after some amount of time, it will start re-recommending videos you've already seen once it has forgotten you have watched them. You can set both options here: https://myactivity.google.com/activitycontrols/youtube https://myactivity.google.com/activitycontrols/youtube

dvdkon 5y ago
I have viewing history tracking disabled and 90% of videos I see are new/popular videos from channels I subscribe to. It's not so bad, definitely less clickbait.
marapuru 5y ago
I'm pretty sure Youtube knows that people who did one of the things you mentioned get fed up with their crappy recommendations and enable the recommendations, just to be 'fed' with new content. Which in turn is great for their monetization strategy. It would be nice if Youtube offered a feature where the recommended lists are completely removed and youtube simple loads as a search bar. Where you find what you are looking for without distractions. I've done this myself by adding the following rules to ublockorigin: www.youtube.com##ytd-watch-next-secondary-results-renderer.style-scope.ytd-watch-flexy www.youtube.com###comments.ytd-watch-flexy.style-scope www.youtube.com##ytd-browse.ytd-page-manager.style-scope[page-subtype="home"] www.youtube.com##ytd-guide-renderer www.youtube.com##ytd-vertical-channel-section-renderer
- freyr 5y ago
  Or you’re underestimating the difference between what appeals to you and what appeals to the average visitor. It wouldn’t make sense for them to show objectively “crappy” content to every new visitor, just to get OP to turn on their recommendations. What we consider crappy is what other people consider entertaining.
MMS21 5y ago
I have my watch history turned off so the red bar doesn't appear in thumbnails of videos I left a quarter way through. YouTube still shows me videos that I've watched years ago (Primitive Technology for example a channel which has stopped producing content) and left likes on. How is it that their algorithm doesn't factor in likes/ dislikes at all?!
- getpost 5y ago
  I always watch logged-out. (Occasionally on iOS I will be unknowingly logged-in, not sure how that happens. I log out if I notice I am logged-in.) YouTube seems to maintain an identity for me, and auto-constructs playlists using past items viewed. Recommendations appear to relate to past viewing. I’m uncertain on how cookies are maintained. Are these Safari cookies behind the scenes? My point is, contrary to GP’s claim, there is some mechanism for viewing history even if it is turned off.
rasz 5y ago
This is NOT TRUE on both accounts. 1 Iv had my YT history disabled for >5 years now. Recommendation still works just like for everyone else. 2 Even when enabled it will always keep recommending videos you already watched.

dvdkon 5y ago

I have viewing history tracking disabled and 90% of videos I see are new/popular videos from channels I subscribe to. It's not so bad, definitely less clickbait.

marapuru 5y ago

I'm pretty sure Youtube knows that people who did one of the things you mentioned get fed up with their crappy recommendations and enable the recommendations, just to be 'fed' with new content. Which in turn is great for their monetization strategy. It would be nice if Youtube offered a feature where the recommended lists are completely removed and youtube simple loads as a search bar. Where you find what you are looking for without distractions. I've done this myself by adding the following rules to ublockorigin: www.youtube.com##ytd-watch-next-secondary-results-renderer.style-scope.ytd-watch-flexy www.youtube.com###comments.ytd-watch-flexy.style-scope www.youtube.com##ytd-browse.ytd-page-manager.style-scope[page-subtype="home"] www.youtube.com##ytd-guide-renderer www.youtube.com##ytd-vertical-channel-section-renderer

freyr 5y ago
Or you’re underestimating the difference between what appeals to you and what appeals to the average visitor. It wouldn’t make sense for them to show objectively “crappy” content to every new visitor, just to get OP to turn on their recommendations. What we consider crappy is what other people consider entertaining.

MMS21 5y ago

I have my watch history turned off so the red bar doesn't appear in thumbnails of videos I left a quarter way through. YouTube still shows me videos that I've watched years ago (Primitive Technology for example a channel which has stopped producing content) and left likes on. How is it that their algorithm doesn't factor in likes/ dislikes at all?!

getpost 5y ago
I always watch logged-out. (Occasionally on iOS I will be unknowingly logged-in, not sure how that happens. I log out if I notice I am logged-in.) YouTube seems to maintain an identity for me, and auto-constructs playlists using past items viewed. Recommendations appear to relate to past viewing. I’m uncertain on how cookies are maintained. Are these Safari cookies behind the scenes? My point is, contrary to GP’s claim, there is some mechanism for viewing history even if it is turned off.

rasz 5y ago

This is NOT TRUE on both accounts. 1 Iv had my YT history disabled for >5 years now. Recommendation still works just like for everyone else. 2 Even when enabled it will always keep recommending videos you already watched.